Double-tube connection



Oct. 20l 1925.

` R. H. SMICKLE DOUBLE TUBE CONNECTION Filed Sept. 24, 1924 if; ,l' mmmu i INVENTOR RaymondH/m/b/'e *B BY l Afm H I5 A ORNEY Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

g lssazms NUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND H. SMICKLE, OF BELVIDERE,

NEW` JERSEY, AssIGNOn 'ro rNGERsoLL- l RAND COMPANY, or JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

`IDOTIBLIEIJI'UBE CONNECTION.

Application filed September 24, 1924. Serial No. 739,538.

10 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND H. Siuionnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident Y of` Belvidere, county of Varren, State of New Jersey, have invented a certain Double- Tube Connection, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to iuid actuated percussivev machines, and more particularly to rock drills of the hammer `type which employ concentrically arranged tubes for conveying gaseous fluid and cleansing liquid to a drill steel for removing cuttings from a drill hole.

In order to effect theremoval of cuttings from the drill hole mostrock drills of the hammer type are equipped with a tube extending through the drill for conveying the cleansing liquid, in addition depending up on pressure fluid to escape past the piston and associated parts for the purpose oi supplying pressure to the cleansing Huid. l

This method of supplying pressure to the cleansing fluid, however, does not prove satisfactory under all conditions, due in part to the difficulty of providing for a certain predetermined supply of pressure fluid sufficient at all times for efficient cleansing of the drill hole.` By employing two tubes concentrically arranged, one of which is adapted to convey gaseous fluid and the other a liquid, a continuous, controlled iiow of both fluids may be obtained, thereby creating a greater pressure `for `removing cuttings from the drill hole.

One object of the inventionis to securely hold concentrically arranged gaseous liquid and iiuid conveying tubes in a rock drill of the hammerV type.

Further Objects will hereinafter appear in the following description and the accompanying drawings which illustrate the inventionl in one of its preferred forms i Figure l is a longitudinal view, partly in section of a hammer type rock drill equipped with water and air tubes arranged in accordance with the practice` of the'invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing the details `of the means for sealing and supportingthe gaseous fiuid and liquid conveying tubes in the back .head Of the rock drill, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional. detail view illustrating a modified method of vsupporting and sealing gaseous fluid and` liquid conveying tubes in the back head oflarock drill. i f

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown embodied in a rock drill comprising a cylinder A, with front -head B supported in the forward end of said cylinder', and a` back head C separated from said cylinder by suitable rotationl ratchet mechanism D and a back cylinder washer E; all being held in operative relation by the usual side bolts (not shown). A front cylinder washer F forming a closure of the forward end of the cylinder A is held in position by `means of the front head B. A

hollow drill steel G extending through a chuck key H, and held in alignment by a chuck jaw J is adapted to receive the impact blows of a reciprocating piston K. L

Distribution of the motive fiuid isrpreferably effected by means of a valve (not shown) of any suitable type, operating in the valve chest L and in communication with a throttle valve M in the back head C, operated by means of a throttle lever O.

In order to keep the drill steel free in thedrill jhole, rotative means are provided, and to this end there is employed a rifle bar I? which is adapted to slidably engage a-rifie nut `Q' in the rearward end of the hanr mer piston K. The nose It of the hammer piston is fluted and in slidableengagement with a chuck nutS in the chuck T, rotatively engaged with the chuck jaw `J preferably by means of clutch members `U and V. In thisinstance wings lV of the hol low drill steel G interlock with the flats X of the recess Y for preventing relative rotative movement between the chuck jaw .I and the drill steel. t

In accordance with the invention, an airconductingtube Z having a conical end a is shown supported in a correspondingly conical bore b in the backhead C, the tube Z `being adapted to extend through the drill to a point preferably a slight distance from the impact receiving end of the drill steel Gr when the Vdrill steel is in its uppermost` position. A liquid conducting tube c of smaller` diameter than the said air tube Z has a coniform rearward end CZ and is arranged within said air tube, preferably being of sufficient length to extend for a snort distance Within the bore of the drill steel G. rEhe tube c is supported in the bore e of the ytube Z, and its end preferably extends slightly beyond the end t of the tube Z. The end f of the tube c vto Acontorin to the bore c of the tube Z and to be "of a suitable length to provide sufficient sealing area at all tifines.

In operation, due 'to hard usage which ya machine ot' the hainrner type receives, inetficient sealing is likely 'to occur between 'the several parts dueto natural Wear, thereby permitting cleansing fluid jto escape vto the movable parts, Washing away lubricant and causing excessive `iv'ear. ln "order to overcome this diliiculty and to insure proper sealing Contact at alltiines, a -resilient ineinber, i'n this iinstance la compression coil spring g is einployed, said coil spring being arranged 'Within a recess '7L of the Water plug j, one vend of 'the spring being adapted to bear against the roof of recess 72,. and the other end against a holloWcyl-indrical ineinber l7c, the cylindical 'member 7c v'being arranged adjacent to the end dof the tube c. In this 'manner 'due to the direct ycontact of the :parts 76,1Z, and c 'and tothe compressive "force ofthe spring g, a fluid tight joint is 'at an rimes 'maintained thereby eliminaring undue Wear and the need of' inspection and 'adjustment on the part ofl lthe operator.

Near the juncture of the conical -end e and the 'tube Z are arranged a 'pluralitj7 'of ports m adapted to .provide a passage for the fpressure fluid 4tronil an angular Igroove 0 in ithe 'back head C to the holloiv bore oit the ltube Z, the s'a-id annular fgrooye being `in communication `with asourceof` supply (not shown) b'y means 'of' passage 1D, rgroove 'q lin 'the Water plug is arranged to connnunicate with the passage rfby ineans of a 'recess s, thus providing a passage for the cleansing fluid `(souroe of supply not shown) to the back head cap iff-rom whence it is preferably adapted to floiv through Aa restricted port "u lconnuunicating With the liquid 'conveying tube c through the hole '0, the recess-hof the ivaterplugy'and Vthe holloiv'cylindrical member r. In lthis 'manner a'direct and 'constant flow of' both pressure fluid and cleansing 'liquid `inay befprovided, the two fluids 'interiningling in the ho'lloiiY bore ofthe drill steelfG at the'e'nd 'f offthe tube C, thereby providing 'a uniform dou* of In Figure 3 is shown a inodi'lied method 'of securing 'cleansing liquid and pressure fluid tubes in the bach head of a rock drill. 'In this instance the pressure 'fluid tube Z has a coniforin rearward end a., adapted to conform to a conical bore 'Zi fin Trl. l'back hear G. Within ithe pressure ftuid tube Z a cleansing iiipiid y'tube fio lof smaller cross sec-- tional area than the air tube -is concentrically arranged. The 'conical l*end g/ ot 'the tube w is preferably *lor'ined flush with v'a 'correspond'ing end of the `tube Z. ln order tto secure the air tube With-in the 'bach l'head C, there is provided `a screr: threaded Water plug Ain engagement with the vback head C by "which nxfeans :a reduced -end of the Water lplug e inay ibe brought to bear firmly upon the end a od' the air tube. ln the rc cess 3 of the Water plug there is disposed a compression lrneniber d, preferably a coil spring, `adapted to bear at -one vend aga-inst the :root fot the yrecess 3, the other -end of the spring ibearing against va lhollow cylindrica'l nieinber 5, "of smaller diameter than the outside Vdiaineter of the yconical lend y/ ott the rrliquid Aconducting tube fw on which `it is, adapted -to =`bear. Tn Ithis manner lthe tube Z 4,is rigidly secured in place by manu- `all-y adjustable ineans, 'and the tube `110 is held yin sealing position by the compressive force of thecoil spring 4f. However, should Wear occur between the sealing 'surfaces ot' theend d and the recessl or should the Water plug 'a not be'adjusted to its proper bearing position, thecoil sprino il W'illexert sufficient pressure to 'form a fluid tight joint, fthere'by holding the ivater and air tubes in sealingl positions and preventing 'leakage of cleansing fluid to Ethe movable parts of the rock drill thus leaving *the lubricant 'on these parts unilnpaired I claim: p

lLl. In'zufiiiiclactuatedlrocl; drill, the conibination of a cylinder With'a badk'head, a conif'orin seat lsaid vback head, a reciprocatory lialn'nier piston lin said cylinder, a Apair off concentrically Aarrringed conical ended fluid conveying tubes entending through the cylinder, and resilient 'means for-holding Ithe conical end of oneof said tubes againsltsaid con'if'orin `seat and lfor, Eholdilng vthe `conical endo'f the other 'said 'tube in fluid tight'contact with the corresponding end of the first said tube.

2. na fluid actuated rock'd1ill,the coinbina'tion Yof V'a'cylinder with a back head, a coniforn seat in said back head, a reciprocatory hammer piston lin said cylinder, a pair ofconcentrically arranged-conical 4fended fluid conveying tubes extending through the cylinder, a spring for holding the conical end of one of said tubes against said eoniform seat and for holding the conical end of the other said tube in fluid tight contact with the corresponding end of the first said tube, and an adjustable plug for Varying the tension of said spring,

3. In a fluid actuated rock drill, the combination of a cylinder with a back head, a coniform seat in saidback head, a reciprooatory hammer piston in said cylinder, a pair of eoncentricalljy7 arranged conical ended fluid conveying tubes extending through said cylinder, a compression spring tor holding the conical ends of said Atubes in fluid tight Contact with eachother and for holding the conical end of the outer of said tubes in fluid tight Contact with the conitorn seat, an adjustable plug screwed into the back head for varying the tension of said spring, ports and passages for conducting fluids to the interior of said tubes, and means for sealing the back head to prevent leakage of fluid therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

RAYMOND H. sMICKLE 

